The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Current women's apparel does not provide many places to put personal items. Purses are a favored location for personal items, but they are bulky, expensive, are a target for theft, can be easily stolen, occupy hands and arms, can be difficult to keep track of while dancing or socializing, small items can be lost in them, are subject to being searched in various venues (such as airports, courts, and sporting events) causing delay and embarrassment, and can cause potential health problems—such as misalignment of the spine—due to weight and asymmetric weight distribution on the bearer.
Pockets are another place to put personal items. Pockets, however, are not typically found in dresses and skirts and, even when found in a garment, the pocket and/or items placed in the pocket may alter the fit or appearance of the garment in an undesirable way. Also, typical pockets can be picked and items in a pocket can be broken, such as when a person sits down with an item in a pocket. Boots also may be used to store personal items, though they are seasonal, difficult to access quickly, lack security, the item may cause discomfort when in the boot, and boots may clash with a desired outfit. Thigh holsters are also used to store personal items, though they can be difficult to access through or under pants, they can be uncomfortable, constrain movement, items in them are easily dislodged, and they are another item to remember to don and manage. Fanny packs are frequently not considered fashionable or feminine, lack organization, and are another item to remember to don and manage. Travel belts are frequently considered masculine, may not match attire, may be too thick for daily use, may be considered unprofessional, and may be difficult to access. Hands may hold personal items, but then the hand(s) are occupied, the item(s) in the hands may be exposed to weather, the items may be dropped, and socialization opportunities will be reduced when the hands are occupied. Bra cups are sometimes used to store items, between cups or inside of a cup. Bra cups, however, lack security, items can slip out, the items can be exposed to perspiration, and it may be inappropriate or inconvenient to access the bra cup to retrieve an item.
For some decades, bras have been designed with pockets to accommodate personal items. In many instances, the bra pockets were designed with “secret” pockets with limited or difficult access, or assume access only to the front of the bra, provide difficult to access pocket openings, provide only enough space for a key or similar small item, do not provide sufficient space to enclose larger items such as mobile phones, do not provide a closure which both allows access to and limits accidental release of enclosed items, require integration with the bra cup (which causes difficulties with the wide range of sizes and styles of bra cups), do not protect items from perspiration, and/or do not provide a closure or realistic opportunity for a closure (such as a zipper).
Needed is a bra with a pocket, which pocket provides sufficient space to be accommodate a mobile phone or other mobile computing device, a driver's license, credit card, key-card, medical device, or similar, wherein the bra and pocket, even with items in the pocket, is reasonably discrete, wherein access to the pocket is simple, wherein the entire interior of the pocket can be accessed with only one hand, wherein the pocket may be made to protect items from perspiration, and wherein the bra and pocket can be manufactured without customization of or integration with the bra cup.